The Lion and the Serpent
by EricAllen757
Summary: Chapter four, "A Friend Lost", is now up! It's probably going to be updated later, but for now, read, review, and let me know what you think! Thanks! :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lovers' duel

"Expelliarmus!"

"Uhn!"

With a grunt and an outcry of shock and rage, Draco Malfoy felt his wand ripped from his hands as he was hit square in the chest with the disarming spell. His wand hurtled away from him and landed feet away, in a pool of shadow, away from the duel. Eyeing his attacker angrily, he turned and began to lunge for his weapon.

But the opposing duelist was too quick, and before Draco had reached his wand, he found himself blasted by a series of spells in rapid succession: first a stinging hex, followed closely by a stun charm, and finally a babbling curse. Fortuneately, Malfoy dodged the babbling curse.

"Enough! This duel is over. Potter is the winner, and as an award, Gryffindor gets five points towards the housecup. Dismissed!" Sneering, Severus Snape, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, turned a weary eye upon his gryffindor students, who started back in anger. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is five points not enough? Very well. I award nothing. Now, dismissed."

At this, an onslaught of protests arose. "But prof—" "That isn't fai—" "No wa—"

"ENOUGH! I said you are dismissed!"

Grudgingly, the gryffindor students packed up their belongings and filed out of the dungeon classroom, murmering murderous things under their breath. Snape, looking rather pleased with his dastardly accomplishment, followed suit, stopping to pack his wand into a sleek black briefcase before sauntering into the corridor.

Harry Potter, the tall, dark haired boy with the mysteriously odd shaped lightning bolt scar on his forehead, walked toward his downed opponent, a young boy around his own age of sixteen with sleeked back white-blonde hair and deep stone grey eyes set in a perpetual glare.

"Good show, Draco." Reaching a hand down to assist his fellow student, Harry helped him to his feet and dusted him off. "Oh, would you quit glaring at me like that? You told me not to take it easy on you! So I didn't!"

"Obviously! I said 'Harry, don't take it easy on me…let's give them a good show' not 'Harry, make me look like a total nincompoop'! That display made me look beyond incompetent, Potter." Malfoy sighed angrily and looked away towards his wand, still laying on the grimy dungeon floor. "Everyone already thinks I am anyway…so thanks for proving it.."

Harry walked over to the wand, picked it up, and cleaned it off, then turned around and snorted. "You're such a drama queen."

"Hey!"

Laughing, Harry handed over the wand. "Here. Don't be a wuss."

"heh…you know I already forgave you. " With a brief smile, Draco playfully punched Harry in the arm. "Just..be a little more careful next time, alright? You could've seriously screwed me up with all those babbling curses you were throwing around! Those buggers are a pain in the ass."

"Alright, alright. No more babbling curses. I'll save those for the death eaters."

Malfoy feigned a smile, then looked down at his wand, still coated in dungeon grime. He thought back to the duel and what he had done wrong…_why couldn't he break through any of Potter's defenses?_ _Was he really just..too powerful?No. The dark lord would never settle for that. _Malfoy's one and only task was to find any and all of Potter's weaknessses, and he didn't intend to fail as his father had done before him. _But…_there was also that side of him that simply wanted to relish in Potter's affections..which he seemed to receive easier and easier with each passing day. One day, he would have to choose which he wanted more..but not today.

"You alright, Mal?" Harry looked worried.

"Yeah. I'm just wondering…Harry, how were you able to blast some of those spells off so quickly? I've seen death eaters who take more than 2 seconds between spells to gather their thoughts..besides, I saw so many openings in your form, but I was never able to exploit any of them..you were just too quick."

"Hmm..well, I dunno . I have Hermione to thank for pretty much everything I know. If it wasn't for her and all her late night lessons, I wouldn't even know half the spells I use. In reality, I'm the incompetent one.."

"The great Harry Potter? Incompetent? Never!" Laughing at the look of disgust on Harry's face at being called great, Malfoy continued, "I'm just…slightly jealous at how gracefully you seem to pull it all off. You're a pro dueler, and we're only in our fifth year."

"That's sweet."

"Shut up. Anyways, it's a nice day out, and we don't have another lesson for two hours. So what do you say we go walk the grounds?"

"Your slytherine friends will talk.."

"So will your gryffindors."

With a huge grin, Harry turned towards the door, then turned back. "Let's do it."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Secrets, Lies, and other dirty tales

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

With a jolt, Harry fell off the couch he was napping on, and looked up into the dark brown eyes of Hermione Granger, his intelligent, bushy haired best friend.

"Oi, Hermione…quiet down, will you?"

"No, I will not! How could you? You went behind our backs...again!"

"Wha—?"

"I don't want to hear any more of your lies! I'm sick of it. I've stood by you for six years, through everything, but I won't support this! Especially with all the lies you've been telling."

Sitting up, Harry's tone grew serious. "Hermione, what the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Harry! You're so selfish."

"I–"

"What's all the commotion down here?" a door opened, and a red haired, freckled faced boy, Ronald Weasley, stepped out of the boys dormitory stairwell, looking utterly confused…and a little frightened. "I could hear you two upstairs!"

"What's this about! Oh, let me tell you, Ronald. Harry here was with you-know-who last night. Again!" Hermione's eyes were wild with rage, her wand hand itching ever so much closer to the pocket where wand lay nestled among her _Handheld Dictionary of A-Z Common Use Charms_.

"..Harry?" Ron asked tentatively, suddenly looking ill.

With a sigh of deep exasperation, Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, guys…but Malfoy isn't nearly as bad as we thought...honest. And I've been helping him master a Punctum Hex…that's all."

"A Punctum Hex? Last I checked, you couldn't even successfully pull one off!"

"Harry, you know how you spending time with Malfoy makes us feel. He's the enemy. His parents are death eaters, and he's well on his way to becoming one…if he hasn't already."

"I can assure you that he isn't."

"And how do you know this? Huh? Don't tell me you've searched his body for the dark mark!"

"The dark mark is usually on the forearm, Hermione…you know this. I've used multiple revealing charms and I've found nothing. I don't think you need to worry about this so much."

Hermione stared at her friend with cold, calculating eyes. "We've risked our lives for you countless times, Harry. Hell, we're risking them now by even being here! And for what? For you. And you repay us by going behind our backs, and betraying our trust. How dare you? I'm done with this. Good luck, Harry."

With that, Hermione turned on her heel and left through the common room portrait entrance, making the fat lady giggle as she pushed upon the canvas. After the door swung closed, an uneasy silence settled upon the room as Harry and Ron stared across the room at each other, neither knowing what exactly to say.

"I...I didn't know you two were so opposed to me giving second chances." Harry could feel an immense burden settle upon his shoulders…and his heart.

"Mate, he's Draco Malfoy…he's been our enemy since day one. And now, all of a sudden, you two are buddy-buddy? It doesn't work that way…but I'm not going to give you grief over it. It's your decision. But don't expect me to become his friend. I still can't stand his ratty face."

"Well, Draco is a lot gentler than he comes off to be."

Oi, mate, don't gimme details." With a wink, Ron walked over to the nearest window and looked out over the great lake. "It's a nice day, eh, Harry? Why don't you go enjoy it? Get out of the common room for a bit."

"Well. I walked the grounds with Draco earlier…after the duel."

"Ahh. Well go again anyway. I have some studying to do, and I really need Hermione's help…but after that little episode, I don't think she wants to be near you..so..er.."

"I get it, Ron. I'll talk to you later."

Harry turned and exited Gryffindor tower, leaving Ron alone to stare out the window again, at a dark storm looming over the Forbidden Forest.

_Bloody hell _was the only thought running through the red head's mind as he settled into a chair to wait on his tutor.

….

Professor Minerva McGonagall swept through the great hall, cloak billowing behind her. She had received word that a Fiendfyre Curse had been set off in the dungeons below less than an hour ago, and she was now on her way to catch the perpetrator. Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy! Over here. Now!"

The boy turned a snobby stare in her direction and with a few whispered words to his friends, which set off a round of giggles, stalked over to her.

"Yes, Professor?" his voice was full of sweet malice. Dressed in his every day, casual Slytherine attire, Malfoy looked odd peering up at the Gryffindor head of house, who was staring back with stern eyes.

"I've been told that you are the one responsible for the curse set off in the dungeons earlier. Is this true? Don't you dare lie to me."

"With all due…'respect', professor, Fiendfyre is a deadly curse well beyond my capabilities as a sixth year. Where in this bloody school would I learn magic of that proportion? Certainly you're not willing to teach it."

Raising herself to her full height, Professor McGonagall was truly a sight to behold when angry. "Damn straight I'm not, Malfoy. And you'd do best to hold your tongue." With her half-mooned spectacles sitting upon the room of her nose, she looked fierce.

"Me? Lie? I'm no liar, professor."

"You put on a show of being brave and strong, Malfoy, but really, you're only hiding behind your parents' power. But let me tell you this: Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy do not intimidate me in the least. And I would be proud to know that you told them so."

"I'm hiding behind no one, professor. Honestly, I didn't cast the curse."  
"We shall see, Mal—."

All of a sudden, an explosion rocked the castle to its core. McGonagall looked away from her interrogation with panicked eyes. What was going on?

"Get to your dormitory. Go now."

"I…yes, professor." With that, Malfoy ran off towards the dungeons, as Professor McGonagall ran in the opposite direction, towards the ramparts.  
"Professor McGonagall! We're under attack!"

"What are you talking about, miss Lovegood?"

Luna Lovegood, wearing a Ravenclaw skirt and cloak, ran up to the Transfiguration professor, breathing heavily. "Death eaters. Funny little men. They're just throwing themselves at the shield protecting the castle. I wonder if they know that they can't get in.." she looked away, deep in thought.

"Now's not the time to get sidetracked, Luna. Run get Professor Dumbledore, with all haste!"

"Aye, aye, Professor. Be careful, though. You've got snogglyworms trying to crawl up your nose…they're worse than boogies. Do be careful with those."  
"Go!"

As the strange blonde haired girl ran off, another explosion rocked the castle. Whatever those death eaters were hitting the protection enchantments with was powerful enough to send shockwaves through the castle. Minerva McGonagall, widely known for her fearlessness and courage, was thoroughly worried. She had countless students to worry about.

_Please hurry, Albus.._


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! Hope you've liked the story so far! I know it's probably kind of lame, but I'm working on it. Hopefully it'll be really good come time for its conclusion! So keep on reading and reviewing, and remember, I love to hear what you have to say! Whether it be positive or negative, be honest! Thanks!(: -Eric

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all of the amazing characters, locations, and plot elements within the Harry Potter universe. I, a fan, simply on this FANfiction. So, no drama.

Chapter 3

The war begins

The explosions rocking the castle jolted Ginny Weasley out of her sparring practice with Neville Longbottom in the mysterious Room of Requirement, headquarters for Dumbledore's Army. The two, wands still out, stopped mid-spell and casted each other worried glances.

"What was that?" Neville asked, looking around confusedly.

"I don't know, Neville, but I'm thinking we should go find out." Clutching her wand tighter in her hand, Ginny sauntered over to the door, pushing it open and glancing out into the hallway. "No one's in the halls…weird. This hall is usually always packed…right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Another explosion shook the room, and Neville began to look uneasy. "I have a bad feeling, Ginny."

"Neville, if something bad is happening, we have to help. Let's go."

"I…okay. You're right."

The two Gryffindor students cautiously ran out of the Room of Requirement, being sure that the room remained hidden. Explosions continued to shake the castle as they headed downstairs.

"Where are we headed?" Neville still looked queasy, but he seemed determined now.

"I don't know…but the Great Hall seems a good place."

The two continued to run, pounding down the steps as fast as they could, occasionally having to slow down for the stairwells that decided to shift on them. Neville came close to dive-bombing off one such stairwell, but fortunately Ginny managed to catch his collar. They continued on down, headed towards the Great Hall. They could hear a growing commotion, sounding a lot like panicking students, so they knew the Great Hall was the place to be. All of a sudden, they could hear Professor Dumbledore's voice projected loudly throughout the castle.

"Attention, Hogwarts students and staff. We are currently under attack by Death Eater forces, but do not be alarmed. They have not made it past the protective enchantments. I shall ask that everyone remains calm and remains in their dormitories. If you are not in your dormitory, please return as quickly as possible. As for all available staff, please meet me and Minerva on the castle ramparts. Thank you."

"Death eaters?" Neville looked positively frightened now.

Her own heart racing, Ginny stopped running. "We've faced them before, Neville. Remember last year and our little escapade at the Department of Mysteries? We'll be fine. We're going to the ramparts."

…..

Harry stumbled through the crowd, desperately trying to reach the stairwell leading up to the ramparts. House prefects ushered their panicking students towards their dormitories, vainly attempting to keep order in the great hall, but to no avail; panic ran amok. Harry heard Dumbledore's projected voice say that Hogwarts was under attack by Death Eater forces, and he felt Voldemort's presence nearby. Harry knew that things were about to get very, very bad.

"You! Potter! Return to Gryffindor tower at once!" One of Ravenclaw's prefects must've seen him rushing towards the rampart stairwell and made a move to stop him. Harry steeled ahead faster, fighting his way through the chaos. "STOP! I shall deduct points!"

"Silencio!" Harry stopped running and turned around, only to see a flaming haired beauty streaking towards him, wand out, relief and determination in her eyes. "Harry!" She smiled quickly then grew serious. "Is it true? Death eaters are here?"

"Yes…and Voldemort is nearby. My scar hurts…I have to get to the ramparts. I'm not going to run and hide like everyone else. Voldemort and his forces want me, that's why they're here."

"Well, let's make sure they don't get you, mate!" Ron and Hermione struggled onto the scene, wands out, both huffing and puffing, struggling to suck in air. Hermione straightened up and glared at Harry, before softening her features and rushing him with a hug.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" She tightened her arms around his neck, slowly squeezing the feeling out of him.

"Oi, Hermione, me too! But please, let me go!"

She released him, blushed, and looked away, only to yelp as Neville ran into her, attempting to fight the crowd. "Ow, Neville! Watch where you're going."

"Sorry, Hermione. I was pushed." He looked haggard, his hair ruffled crazily.

"It's ok—."

"Guys! I'm headed to the ramparts. I'm going to help the professors. Are you with me?" Harry's face told his friends he was serious, and they grew quiet, somber.

Hermione was the first to speak, her voice shaking. "Harry…those death eaters are here for you…you know that. If you show yourself, they'll be all the more determined. We need to get you out of here. We can escape into Hogsmead. From there, we'll make a run for it."

"Hermione's right, Harry…this is a very dangerous situation. It'll be suicide to show yourself to them, especially if they're going to be so bold as to attack Hogwarts!" Neville seemed sure of himself, sure that he would be able to convince Harry.

"I don't care, guys. I'm not going to be a coward anymore. It's do or die now. I'm going to fight. If you're with me, then be with me. If you're not, then don't stand in my way."

"I…Harry, I'm with you." Hermione's face grew determined. "I'm going to protect you as best I can, or die trying."

"Me too, Harry. I'm with you every step of the way." Ginny smiled.

"I'll be there too, man. You gave me confidence when I had none. Because of you and Dumbledore's Army, I've grown stronger. I'm ready to show my new skills off." Neville pulled out his wand.

"Mate, you're my best friend…I've always been with you. Let's get up there." Ron turned and ran for the rampart stairwell. "Let's go!"

The group followed suit, racing up the stairs towards their teachers, ready to protect their school and fellow students. At the top, Professor's Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Hagrid stood, watching the flying death eaters attack the protective enchantments. Hearing the commotion the students were causing, they turned, wands out, ready to fight, but seeing it was only Harry and gang, they relaxed.

"What're you doing up here? Return to your dormitories at this very instant." McGonagall was infuriated.

"Calm, Minerva. They want to help. At a time like this, we need help. I am not one to ask for a student's help in matters such as these, but these kids have proven themselves more than capable against a death eater. They'll be just as safe up here with us as they would be hiding under their beds." Dumbedore cast a quick, wry glance towards his favorite students, then looked back up into the sky. "Besides, we don't have time to worry about them. Any moment those enchantments will give way, and we'll have a fight on our hands…a fight, I'm afraid to say, we're going to lose. We're outnumbered."

"They want me, Professor…let them take me. I'm not worth the destruction of this school, or the loss of any life." Harry eyes pleaded with the professor's innermost doubts, but the headmaster refused to give Harry up.

"No, Harry, I'm afraid that won't solve anything."

"It's bigger than just the chosen one, Potter. You may be important in the overall scheme of this war, but you are not by any means its main component." Snape sneered. "Just like your father…contemptuous and full of himself."

"How da—."

"Enough! The enchantments are giving in. Brace yourselves!"

At that moment, the enchantments protecting the school and all the lives within broke and faded away. The death eaters floating above stopped in a moment of brief shock, then quickly amassed and readied themselves for an assault. Before they could Hogwarts, however, two dozen armed witches and wizards apparated onto the school grounds, wands at the ready. The Order of the Phoenix had arrived, at the headmasters urgent request, and the first battle in the war for Harry Potter was about to begin.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! It's me again. Sorry for the late update! Haven't really had the patience to work on this...and as a result, this chapter is brief and to the point. I'm most likely going to update this one later on..just give it time! Please continue to review, keep sending me PMs and all that good jazz! Thanks.(: -Eric

Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own HP or any of that good shizzz. That's all J. K. Rowling. I just own this story. No drama, thanks.

Chapter 4

A friend lost

The sounds of battle sounded throughout the castle as students hid in fright, afraid of the coming death eaters. Deep within the dungeons, in the Slytherine common room, Draco Malfoy stood calmly near a burgeoning fire, flanked by his closest friends, Crabb and Goyle. Malfoy stared into the fire, deep in thought, seemingly unaware of the events taking place just outside.

"Draco? What's going on? What are we going to do?" Crabb asked nervously, ending the eerie silence pervading the room.

"What? Oh. You mean about the battle? We'll do nothing. We were given orders to remain here, in this room, safe. So that's what we'll do." Malfoy didn't even look up while replying.

"Er…but we were told to...you know…help the death eaters." Goyle spoke up, a bit less nervous than his counterpart, Crabb.

"You know, Crabb, Goyle, I really don't care what you two decide to do. But I'm under strict order from the dark lord himself to remain unseen. If you two want to charge outside, wands a blazing against the Order of the Peacock, or Pigeon, or whatever it is, then go right ahead. I won't stand to stop you."

"I…"

A cold wind swept throughout the hall, causing the fire to sway in its place. Draco looked up, startled. The common room door stood open, and in its archway stood Voldemort himself, flanked by Lucius Malfoy. Lucius looked frightened, standing in the dark lords shadow, but he held his tongue as he locked eyes with his only son.

"Father! Lord Vo-Vo-Voldemort."

"Ahhh…Draco. I see you obey orders well, my boy." Voldemort seemed pleased, almost, staring at the Malfoy boy with appraising eyes. "But now, I have new orders for you, as well as for your cronies."

"We aren't his cronies!" Crabb spoke up angrily, then quickly caught his tongue, staring down at his feet.

"Well. With a tongue like that, I should hope not, boy."

"My lord, what are our orders?" Goyle saved his friend with his quick thinking, looking straight into the darkened pupils of the dark lord, fearless.

"Good, good. Eager, I see. I wish for the three of you to travel to the castle ramparts and pretend to aid the defenders there. Then, when they least expect it, I want three key figures taken out: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape."

Shocked, Malfoy interrupted: "Snape? But…I thought he was loyal to you!"

"Once, Malfoy. But those days are gone, and he's too dangerous to be allowed to fight for Harry Potter. Now go. I have other matters to attend to within this castle."

Casting worried glances at each other, the three young students gathered their wands and left the comfort of their dormitory, headed for a battle unsure they were willing to fight.

…..

Spells exploded upon the rampart walls as Harry Potter and his friends took cover, shooting off spells of their own when given the chance. The battle was fierce, and the death eaters unrelenting. Already the order had suffered four casualties, as well as professor Flitwick becoming incapacitated.

"This is bad, Harry! Those buggers are aiming right for you! They know you're here, and they want you. It's stupid to give them what they want!" Hermione was frantic, trying to plead with her friends sanity. "Please, we'll serve the order best by running from here!"

Wiping sweat from his brow, Ron looked over at her, "Hermione, please, shut up! REDUCTO!"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Hermione released a well-timed Blinding Curse, causing a soaring death eater to fly straight into the castle wall.

Ron ducked down again, barely dodging a killing curse, and motioned for Harry to move into the stairwell. "Harry, Hermione is right! We need to get out of here! If Voldemort is nearby, like you say he is, things can get bad, really fast."

"I…I can't just leave everyone here to fight for me." Harry murmured, looking towards and the sky, and quickly casting a Sectumsempra Curse.

Suddenly, the door to the stairwell burst open, and three familiar Slytherine students ran out onto the ramparts, quickly pulling their wands out and releasing a string of curses, hexes and charms into the sky. Malfoy slid down beside Harry and Ron, throwing a quick glance of disgust at Ron before turning to Harry.

"Are you okay? Sorry I didn't get here sooner. I ran to the dungeons to muster some help, and those two are all I could manage…" He smiled apologetically.

"Draco…it's okay. Thanks for coming! Every wand is needed." Harry smiled back, and then looked towards Ginny, who was pushing Neville onto the ground.

Suddenly the air exploded, as the rampart was blasted with a Fiendfyre Curse. Smoke and debris filled the air, and Harrys' vision went dark. What seemed like hours later, he awoke, to Draco standing over him, looking frantic. He looked past Draco to see Ron and Ginny sobbing uncontrollably, and Neville looking more sober than usual.

"What…what happened? Is everyone okay? Ah, my head is pounding…is the battle over? Did we win?" He was full of questions, but his head was pounding, so before he could continue asking them, he laid back down and stared at the darkened sky.

"Harry…Hermione is…well. She took the brunt force of the curse…she's dead, along with professor's McGonagall and Snape." Draco looked away, ashamedly.

"What…what? NO! HERMIONE!" He tried to stand quickly, but immediately fell back down, falling into a state of uncontrollable sobbing.

Ron looked up and uneasily made his way over to Harry, and grabbed him in a strong embrace, the two crying openly together.

"Guys…as much as I hate to break this up, but the battle is far from over…" Luna suddenly appeared on the ramparts. She was pointing down into the grounds.

Harry stood cautiously, and peered over the side of the wall, only to be greeted with a disturbing sight. Below, on the castle grounds, a dozen bloodied Order members stood facing a coalition of giant spiders, death eaters, and Lord Voldemort himself.

Things were about to get very, very bad.


End file.
